Here we go on week 2!
I'm so glad I made the decision to break up the 13 hour drive into two days! After 450 miles we checked into our hotel in Medford, Oregon. The drive was rainy! Super rainy.
It put a small wrench in my along-the-way sight-seeing plans, but it was dry-ish once we got to Medford. So we hurried over to Jacksonville, about 7 miles away, to check out the town because it is on the National Historic Registry and sounded cool. I'll tell you right now that I am in love! So much character and charm I could hardly stand it! I took lots of pictures with my DSLR so expect a full post on that when I get back home.
If you're in Medford, the Harry & David store is a must visit! So much goodness inside.
Day two, 300 miles, more rain. :) But the scenery was beautiful! As we drove through the lush forests and mountains I realized that the kids had their noses stuck in their Nintendo DS's and the needed to stop and take in all of this around us! They haven't been to Oregon since we moved 15 months ago. What followed is my favorite conversation of the drive.
I said, "Hey kids, look at the pretty trees!"
Conner, "There are so many!"
Payton, "Wow. It's so green!"
Anna, "Hey look, there's a stream! So cool!"
Yes. Trees, the color green, and running water are a novelty when you live in the desert!
We arrived in Portland at noon and went straight to OMSI. The kids were sooooo excited! I was too. It's such a great museum. I especially love it's location on the Portland waterfront, under the Marquam bridge, with a great view of downtown. We played for 3 hours and the kids left wanting more.
That night we met our friends at Sunshine Pizza for dinner. It was as if we had never left! Everyone picked up where we had left off and it was such a good evening . . . good friends, good food (love that pizza), and facial hair.
Anna has made it widely known that she is planning to marry Jaren when she grows up. On this trip he gave her a rainbow heart bracelet and she has worn it everyday for the past week. And we recently discovered that they BOTH sing the wrong words to the Wise Man and The Foolish Man. I can only imagine the plans, and scheming and stories that these two would come up with if we lived closer!
My primary Oregon Bucket List item was a trip to Cannon Beach. Jenn, Paige, Nicole, myself, and our 12 kids (2 were missing) headed to the coast for the day. Sadly Sheila couldn't join us -- she had a 4 week old baby at home so it was probably for the best. But we missed her! We ate brunch at Camp 18 - love that place. We hoped for good weather at the coast, but we didn't get so lucky. You just never know what you're going to get with the Oregon Coast.
We saw Haystack Rock, the kids ran around in the sand for a few minutes, and we got taffy at Bruce's Candy Kitchen. Short, but it was still a good day!
Late Friday night (11:20 pm!) Scott flew into PDX to join us for the rest of our trip. On Saturday morning we went into town for some Portland fun.
I've only been twice, but I just really enjoy the Portland Saturday Market under the Burnside Bridge. It's like one of my favorite Portland things now. I love the treasures that I have purchased there both times. A sweet Japanese man spent a lot of time demonstrating his handmade toys for the kids, so we made sure to get one for each of them.
A stop at Burgerville for a strawberry milkshake was a must! Seriously, we drove 1200 miles just for this!
And finally we took a jaunt to Sauvie Island where I picked up some fresh berries and peaches from Krugers Farm. There is nothing like fresh Oregon berries!
During our 3 1/2 days back "home" we were able to spend a lot of time with our friends and do a lot of fun things . . . but I don't have the pictures to prove it! I'm seriously lacking on photographic evidence. I think we were all just enjoying the moment and it felt so casual, like old times, just normal . . . . that we didn't feel the need to pull out our cameras and document every moment. Because, we were just going to see each other the next day, and the next, and the next. Right?
Wrong. That fact didn't hit me until we were in the car on Sunday morning, Idaho-bound. The good-byes on Saturday night felt more like "see you later." Which is awesome, because I know that we will see each other later.
I'm glad that we did sit back and enjoy each moment. Even the moments that included freak-outs, power outages, and broken arms (just 1 broken arm - poor Caleb!).
Seriously, just like old times. ;)
Moments to remember:
breakfast at Paige's new house and sending the kids outside to play in the yard
the noise bouncing off the walls as 13 kids swam in the indoor hotel pool
the kids' ingenuity at scrounging up quarters at Sunshine Pizza . . . reaching their hands far under the arcade machines (because "there are always quarters under the video games!"). All I have to say is the kids purchased way more prizes/toys than we gave them quarters for.
playing at the park in the 90 degree heat. That's HOT for Oregon.
every meal when Jaren and Anna wanted to sit by each other
the water balloon launching game (The "two-dad game")
rides in the Gator provided by Calvin
vanilla ice cream with fresh berries
candy from China. Blegh. Those poor Chinese children.
the Waite boys' athletic, competitive nature. And Cameron's dance moves.
encouraging Scott to not write something dirty with the Scrabble letters at Jenn's house. He went with "moist" . . . {{shudder}}
Caleb hanging out in the recliner nursing his broken arm, and Conner taking the time to sit by him and keep him company. Those two have some pretty creative, imaginative minds. It made me smile to think of the stories and thoughts they shared.
holding Sheila's 4-week old baby, Addelyn. Tiny!
counting Sheila's kids . . . 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
2 year old Nolan using "the force"
chatting with Alyna - can't believe she's a senior this year! I swear she was a 6 / 7 year old with a cute little bob haircut, hanging out in my backyard just yesterday.
a super quick sand castle contest on Cannon Beach
the power going out while shopping at Bruce's Candy Kitchen (apparently a transformer blew and the entire block was without power)
standing with our backs to the wind & blowing mist on the beach, then realizing that our backs were soaked
sitting at the big oval table at Camp 18. All 16 of us with room to spare.
driving the "noisy" car to Cannon Beach. Me, Nicole + 5 kids. Meanwhile, in Jenn's car the kids were quietly reading and in Paige's car they were listening to music and napping. Whatever! We offered to trade, but no one would take us up on our offer. I don't blame them.
the big 5-family BBQ just like old times (even though we were missing a few of our husbands)
giving hugs to Belle & Josie on their way to bed, in pj's, with wet hair . . . makes me feel like an aunt of sorts
Mom medicine . . . a.k.a. M&M's
